A Different Path
by darkwolf76
Summary: What if Gwen had chosen a different path when Lancelot had returned to Camelot to help Arthur defeat the immortal army? How would the destinies of the once and future king and queen, a knight, Albion as a whole be altered by one decision? AU from end of season 3 and beyond.
1. Seeing a differnet path

_AN: This idea just popped into my head and I had to give it a shot. This is my first attempt at a Merlin fanfic and may or may not turn into a series based on your response. So please read and review! Constructive criticism is always welcome!_

_Disclaimer: I in no way own Merlin or any of its characters. If I did the finale would have gone very, very differently…_

Gwen sighed as she sat down at the table to eat dinner. She had just finished tidying her house up after returning to Camelot with Arthur and his band of new knights whom had just defeated Morgana and Morgause's immortal army. That band of new knights included Lancelot. She couldn't believe he was back. After all that time, she had held true to what she had promised him back in Hengst's castle:

'_As long as I live, my feelings for you will never fade.' _

She had grown to love Arthur over the years, and she loved him with all her heart. She would be perfectly happy being his wife. But now Lancelot was back…

She hadn't spoken to him yet. She really hadn't uttered more than two words to him since she had first laid eyes on him again back in the Darkling Woods. When their eyes did meet though, she had seen the love, eagerness, hope, longing…

She also thought she had spotted him staring at her and Arthur back in the ancient castle after they had kissed. She had sensed his resignation and hurt. She knew that there were still feelings lingering unresolved between them, and that they would have to talk sooner or later now that he was back in Camelot. They would have set boundary lines for their relationship, come to an understanding.

_But what is that understanding going to be? What is our relationship?_ Gwen thought. She loved Arthur so much and had thought that, though affection for Lancelot still lingered, she had moved on and fully committed her heart to Arthur, but now faced with her old love again, she wasn't so sure…

A sudden knock at the cottage door made Gwen jump as she was torn from strain of deep thought. "Coming!" she called as she hopped up from the table and gathered a rough woolen shawl around her, hurrying over to answer the door.

"Lancelot!"

"Gwen, I know it's late and that you are not expecting me… but I was wondering I might be able to come in and talk with you. It has been such a long time since I have seen you-"

"Of course you can come in Lancelot! You are always welcome here! You should know that." Gwen exclaimed as ushered the lonely figure of the knight in from the cold, dark street. She brought him in to the warmly lit room of her home and sat him down, instantly supplying him with a steaming mug of tea to warm him.

"Thank you." Lancelot chuckled at Gwen's flurried hospitality, glad to see she was as kind, warm, and welcoming as ever.

"So… What would you like to talk about?" Gwen asked smiling as she settled back into a chair across the table from Lancelot's. She appeared so lovely, calm, and friendly on the outside, when on the inside her heart was beating a million miles a minute and her stomach was doing backflips._ I'm alone with Lancelot! What do I do? What do I say? _She panicked.

As Lancelot's serene brown eyes met her black ones, her heart started pounding even faster. _He still loves me… _She could just tell by the look in his eyes.

"Gwen… I know… I know there was something between us all those years ago… when I rescued you. I also know that you have long moved on to a happy relationship with Arthur. But I just wanted to say that as long as I am here, I will stay out of the way and will serve him and you as a knight of Camelot, friend, and-"

"Wait. Don't say that. I want to know the truth, Lancelot. How **you** feel about me **now**."

"I can see that you are happy with Arthur and will come between you. I would never take away your future as queen just for my own selfish desires."

"You have never been honest and said what those desires were. What do you want Lancelot?!" Gwen practically was shouting. After all the years of wondering she wanted to know whether Lancelot truly felt for her what he had claimed all the years ago.

Lancelot, shocked by the normally gentle maid's bold and demanding words, stuttered, wide-eyed. "Well I-I well…"

"I want to know what you want! Why did you even come here?"

"I wanted to try to make things easier on you because I love you!"

Now Gwen stared wide-eyed at Lancelot, stunned that he would admit the fact so openly. She simply drew in the sight of the tensed knight, heaving and provoked by her forceful demands.

"Do you really mean that?"

"Gwen… I shouldn't have said that. I will not-"

"Do really love me?"

"YES!"

"Then I don't want you to stay away from me."

That was the last thing Gwen said before they collided, their bodies meeting in the middle of her cottage in a tight embrace and their lips locked in a passionate kiss.

They broke apart breathless after a long time, simply staring at each other. Their eyes met, the love palpable in their mutual gaze. Yet, besides the breathless love and wonder that lingered in the room, there hung the awkward question_ What about Arthur?_

"I'll talk to him tomorrow." Gwen stated dully.

"I'll go with you when you do."

"No. It would be better if you don't. I owe Arthur an explanation in private. He's also bound to be hurt and angry." Gwen knew Arthur was a good man, but he would not take the news about Gwen and Lancelot well, and the knight's presence would only make it worse.

Lancelot's mouth pressed into a thin, tight line. He looked at Gwen calmly and took her hand firmly in his. "I will be here waiting for you when you have talked to him." He reassured her. The conversation she was going to have with Arthur would not be a pleasant one, and she would need comfort after it was over.

_TBC_


	2. Taking a differnt path

_AN: I am so excited to see I am actually getting a response to this story, and a positive one too! Thank you! You're awesome! Anyways, here's chapter two of Gwen and Lancelot's story! Hope you like it!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing in the Merlin universe._

Gwen fidgeted nervously with the gold chain belt around her waist, a gift from Arthur consequently, lingering in the hallway outside his chambers as she gathered up the courage to say what she needed to say to the prince. Closing her eyes, she recalled the conversation she had had with Lancelot at her house earlier that morning.

'_Is it even really that good of an idea to do this right now? Rebuilding Camelot and taking over as regent will surely overwhelm and stress him out enough. I don't want to add to his burden, Lancelot'_

_ 'I don't either, but the longer you wait to reveal the truth to him, the more hurt and pain he will have to bear. No matter how we tell him, there is no way he will emerge from this situation unhurt. He will be upset and possibly angry Gwen. He will need time to heal. I know this because I was there when I gave you up. It is better to tell him honestly and hurt him now, so he can begin healing sooner than later.'_

_ 'We will both need time to heal.'_

_ 'But you will heal Gwen. You have to have faith. Time healed me and Arthur and you have stronger hearts than I.'_

_ 'Don't say that Lancelot. You have the most honor of any man I know, and I love you for that.'_

_ Lancelot gently smiled at her as took her hand and kissed it. 'If I had honor I would have given you up and left you to Arthur to become queen. But I do love you too and will help you and Arthur every step of the way.'_

Gwen took a deep breath and opened her eyes, her hand slowly rising to knock on the heavy oak door when it swung open of its own accord. Standing in the entrance of the chambers, Merlin, Gwen's gangly friend and Arthur's manservant, precariously balanced a huge conglomeration of armor and clothing in his arms.

"Hi Gwen! How are you? Are you here to see Arthur? Be careful, he is more of a clotpole than usual today."

"MERLIN!"

Gwen giggled as Merlin winked at her and scurried down the hall to escape Arthur's wrath. Merlin had become Arthur's closest friend and advisor in the past couple of years. _He will need Merlin very much soon._ she thought frowning, steeling herself for the task ahead.

"Guinevere!" Arthur's bright tone poked like a knife at Gwen's heart. "I was just about to come to see you." He came up to her and slid his arms easily around her waist, pulling her close and shutting the door in the process.

"Arthur, I need to discuss something very important with you…"

"Is everything alright? Did you get hurt during the battle?"

His gentle hand stroking her cheek burned on her skin as tears burned in her closed eyes. "Guinevere, what's wrong? What's happened?" Arthur concerned blue eyes turned frantic as he saw Gwen face crumple and shoulders slump with repressed sobs.

_Am I even doing the right thing? Once I say this there will be no turning back. My whole life will take a different path. _Gwen's thoughts circled in her head as stared into Arthur's worried blue eyes.

"Arthur- I-I –I... can't-can't do this anymore. I am-am so-oo sorr—y." She was bawling as she buried her face in his firm chest and clung to him one last time.

Arthur's expression was frightened now. "What are you talking about? What can't you do anymore? Why are you sorry?"

"We-e can-can't be together-er anymore." She shook with the force of her sobs. She began to push on Arthur's chest, trying to free herself from his embrace so she could make a quick escape once the deed had been done, but Arthur held her fast against him. The worry and fright on his face turned to absolute horror.

"Why-Why are you saying that Guinevere? Is someone pressuring you? What has happened? Whatever the problem is, I'll help you. We'll work through it. Just don't say that. I need you and will always be there for you."

Gwen finally managed to pull herself from Arthur's arms and stood facing him with puffy eyes, trembling but more composed. "Arthur, I love you and will always be there for you as well, but… now that… well, now that Lancelot is back, things have changed."

The horror on the Prince's face distorted into devastation and rage. "Lancelot, LANCELOT!? What has he said to you Guinevere? What has he done?"

"Arthur…."

"Tell me Guinevere!"

"He hasn't done anything wrong Arthur. He came to my house last night just to talk, to see how I was and sort out some unresolved issues. We both simply discovered that we both still had feelings for each other and didn't want anything to be resolved."

"So now you come here to me resolve your **issue **with me so you could move on with him?"

"Arthur, it isn't like that. I do love you and still want to be there for you, we both do. I just can't carry on though like I don't love Lancelot and ignore him."

"But you can ignore me?"

"Arthur…"

"No Guinevere. Don't. If you want him and not me then fine. But I don't want you to be there for me. I don't want you around. Please tell him not to come near me either, barring when it is required of him as knight." The rage on his face had hardened into a stoic mask.

"Arthur, please, I just-"

"Just leave Gwen. I don't want to see you."

"But—"

"LEAVE!"

Gwen's eyes widened in fear and she turned and fled from the room as fast as her feet would carry her. She stumbled blindly through the castle halls and down past the market streets in lower town as tears stung in her eyes. She flung the door of her home open and flew into Lancelot's waiting arms, weeping bitterly well through the afternoon and into the night.

Merlin saw Gwen scurrying past him, her eyes glistening with tears, as he approached the entrance to Arthur's chambers, returning to retrieve a piece of armor he had forgotten earlier when he left to do his polishing. "Gwen? What's wrong?" he called after his friend. After she disappeared around the corner, Merlin, knowing something had gone horribly wrong between Arthur and Gwen rushed into Arthur's chambers. The sight that met his eyes when he heaved open the door made his jaw drop.

Arthur Pendragon, the once and future king and mighty prince of Camelot, lay crumpled on his bed wearing an absolute expression of misery and bawling like a small boy who had just lost everything.

_TBC_

_AN: Well, that's it for chapter two! Gotta love those cliff hangers! So, I'm putting out a call for two very special jobs. I'm looking for someone who might want to serve as my beta/editor on this story, and someone who might want to make some better cover art for me. I have attempted to do both myself so far, but with my busy schedule don't have much time to do a good job at either. If anyone is interested please PM me! And to everyone reading this, please leave a review! I'm still very knew as a writer in this fandom and in general and would appreciate any comments or questions you might have. Thank you all!_

_-darkwolf76_


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